'China Haul' trend fuels foreign tourists' shopping sprees

(ECNS) -- More foreign tourists are arriving in China with empty suitcases and leaving with them packed with purchases, as the "China Haul" trend gains popularity on social media. The trend showcases a wide range of Chinese products, from consumer electronics and fashion to traditional wellness goods.

British YouTuber Elliot Page, who has more than 940,000 followers, posted a nearly 20-minute unboxing video on Aug. 27 featuring clothing he bought in Guangzhou and Shenzhen, both in Guangdong Province. The video had attracted about 130,000 views at the time of writing.

These shopping sprees go well beyond clothing. Popular purchases include DJI drones, Insta360 cameras and Huawei foldable smartphones, as well as designer handbags, backpacks, home fragrances and Pop Mart collectible toys. Traditional Chinese wellness products, including guilinggao, a type of herbal jelly, herbal soaps and moxibustion products, are also making their way into visitors' suitcases.

Some visitors have found a more efficient way to shop: ordering products through Chinese e-commerce apps for delivery directly to their hotels, then packing their purchases on the final day. For them, a 10-day trip can turn into a 10-day shopping spree, with deliveries arriving throughout their stay.

Competitive prices and product quality are part of the appeal, and policy changes have also made shopping more convenient for overseas visitors.

As of August, China had extended its unilateral visa-free entry policy to 50 countries and offered 240-hour visa-free transit to citizens of 57 countries, covering 65 ports across 24 provincial-level regions.

China has also lowered the minimum purchase amount required for a departure tax refund to 200 yuan (about $30) per transaction and expanded its "refund upon purchase" service nationwide. In May, six government departments introduced an updated tax refund policy, extending the departure deadline for eligible shoppers to 28 days and allowing refunds across regions.

Separately, the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Commerce allocated funding to improve the shopping experience for international visitors in 15 key cities, including Beijing, Shanghai and Hangzhou. Each city can receive up to 200 million yuan over two years.

The surge in shopping interest comes amid growth in inbound travel. According to the National Immigration Administration, border authorities handled about 15.5 million cross-border trips during the recent National Day holiday, averaging 2.2 million a day, up 6.7 percent from the same period last year.

(By Zhang Dongfang)